A FESTIVAL commemorating the life of a teenager who was struck and killed by a car once again showed the strong community spirit in Witney.

Thousands of people from across the county gathered on The Leys for LibFest 2017 as the music festival tribute to 14-year-old Liberty Baker marked its third year.

The teenager, who is remembered for her unwavering smile and love of music, died after being hit by a car while walking to school in 2014.

Kicking off the event was the LibFest Fun Run, which sees people running through the centre of the town to raise funds for Oxfordshire charities before performances began on The Leys.

Then it was the main event, the festival which saw a variety of bands from Witney and elsewhere in the county take to the stage for a full day of music.

Stephen Green, a plumber from Witney, attended the event on Saturday for the first time and was moved by its poignant origins.

He said: “This event is held in remembrance of one person. It could have been anybody’s son or daughter. This reaction is brilliant. This is a community coming together to support a family.

“I have kids myself and I would want something like this for them if something happen to them.

“We shouldn’t have to come together like this because there shouldn’t be any accidents on our roads. For us to have to come here because somebody died is wrong.”

Leader of Witney Town Council Toby Morris, who was out enjoying the festival, said the event had a nice atmosphere with a brilliant family feel.

Discussing the event’s history, he said he knew some of the organisers and described their ambition to keep the festival a celebration rather than a day of mourning as ‘commendable’.

He added: “It’s like that was her spirit and it’s keeping that alive. This is one of those events that pulls Witney together.”